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Obamacare Meets Target of 7 Million Enrollees

Uninsured Americans rushed to sign up for individual health insurance Monday, the last day for open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act. HealthCare.gov reportedly had 4.8 million visitors Monday and the health care call center fielded nearly 2 million calls.

So, what’s the prognosis? Obamacare exceeded expectations and hit its target of signing up 7 million people. According to CNN, signups continued Monday despite a system crash, reminiscent of the technical glitches that tormented HealthCare.gov after its rollout in October.

Final numbers, including those from the online state marketplaces that also signed people up and the number of people who have made a first payment for their plans, haven’t been released. CNN said:

But picking a plan isn’t the final step to full enrollment — forking over the money to pay for it is. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told an Oklahoma TV station on Monday that insurers were reporting that 80 percent to 90 percent had paid.

The Associated Press said it will be some time before we see the big Obamacare picture.

The months ahead will show whether the Affordable Care Act will meet its mandate to provide affordable health care coverage or whether high deductibles, paperwork snags and narrow physician networks make it a bust.

If you tried to sign up for health insurance but didn’t complete the application, you still have time. The Obama administration issued a brief extension. We discuss that deadline in detail here .

Did you get signed up for health insurance? Share your experiences below or on our Facebook page.